Purchasing tickets for sporting events, concerts, or other events frequently requires driving to a location where tickets are sold and standing line with the hope of being able to obtain both the desired number of tickets and decent seats. While many venues and ticket sales companies, as well as many merchants, have implemented on-line purchasing systems in recent years, purchasing tickets or other merchandise for which there are limited quantities still involves waiting, in real time, for the right moment to make the purchase. The ability of the average consumer to utilize the Internet for a variety of transactions creates the potential for a web-based system that could be used to prioritize customer orders such that the waiting involved is reduced or eliminated. Thus, there is a need for an on-line, Internet or web-based system that allows a consumer to make a purchase without the inconvenience of constantly monitoring a vendor's website for the moment when an item becomes available for purchase.